Shadows
by The Ultimate Otaku
Summary: Soubi fears the shadows will consume Ritsuka. His urge to protect battles his inner desire for Ritsuka. When Ritsuka gets into a fight, Soubi rescues him, and a couple nights together are enough to set the two on fire for each other! COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

NOTE: I've only read the first 9 books. Please, no spoilers!

This fic stretches the realm of possibility a little, in that Ritsuka would *normally* wake up while certain things are...being done to him.

Also, I have Ritsuka still researching Septimal Moon in this. It is only briefly mentioned, used as a plot device.

Happy Reading! =) And hopefully reviewing...

**SHADOWS**

**A Loveless fanfic**

by The Ultimate Otaku

The shadows always made Ritsuka seem like something darker and stranger, to Soubi. It almost scared him a little to see them creeping across Ritsuka's face. The night was cold and lonely, and the tree that Soubi climbed up to get to Ritsuka's balcony was shaking in the wind. Its leaves left those hazy shadows across Ritsuka's cheek that made Soubi want to hold Ritsuka close.

Everything was darker, lately. Ritsuka was fifteen and in highschool now, and Yuiko and Yayoi were attending a different school. It was with a silent stare that Ritsuka went about things, falling away from the joy his friends had given him and into a zombie sort of state. Soubi had taken to letting the boy accompany him to his apartment after school, because Ritsuka didn't want to be alone.

The boy was tired every day and every night, it seemed. A heavier workload, his friends' absence, and his continued strain to research Septimal Moon kept him constantly busy. Even when he was just sitting down, Soubi could see that the wheels in Ritsuka's brain were turning, busy busy, cyling through some new idea or thought. Only when Ritsuka was with Soubi in his apartment did he seem peaceful.

They would sit down and Soubi would paint. Ritsuka would watch. His body would be splayed out beside Soubi's canvas on the floor, or he would sit on his haunches, or he would hover over Soubi's shoulder. Soubi didn't mind. He enjoyed having Ritsuka so close, and he was happy that his paintings could bring the warmth back into Ritsuka's eyes. For Soubi, his paintings were often cold things, for by painting them he would bring out his anger or sadness and place it in the painting, instead. It was this raw emotion in his flowers and butterflies and ghosts of faces that often made people call his paintings beautiful.

Around Ritsuka, Soubi found himself painting new things. His ghosts of faces would become the faces of people he had seen on the subway, or classmates. Occasionally he would paint a face that resembled Ritsuka a little, but then Ritsuka would laugh and blush, saying, "Don't paint me. I don't want to see me. I see me in the mirror every morning."

And Soubi would say, "But painting is like taking pictures, Ritsuka. It's memories."

So Ritsuka would assent, but before Soubi was finished, he would fall asleep. So there was now an ongoing untitled series of Ritsukas - Ritsuka on the floor curled into a ball, his heavy coat keeping him warm. Ritsuka on the couch, sleeping. Ritsuka on Soubi's bed, his hair splayed out on Soubi's pillow. The scent of Ritsuka would be left there to simultaneously soothe and agonize Soubi later on. It was a rich, heavy scent, but also subtle like roses. Soubi could recognize Ritsuka's scent, but he doubted Ritsuka could recognize his.

And when Soubi was done, he put the paintings away, and Ritsuka didn't ask to see the paintings of himself. One of the paintings though he had kept, because it had been Soubi's birthday present to Ritsuka a half a year ago. It was two figures walking in the woods, one blonde head one dark, with their hands held and their backs facing the viewer. The leaves were green and red and gold in autumn, and the sun shone down to light a halo around the two figures' heads.

Soubi hadn't meant anything particular by it, but Ritsuka insisted that it was them, and that one day, that's where they would be: a place free from others' hands and free from the worlds' troubles, because they were with each other. They would escape the darkness that tried to envelop them, and walk in a place that was theirs and theirs alone, a place where the path would keep on going towards endless possibilities. Where love was just a touch of hands away...

But though he spoke of such things, Ritsuka didn't seem to know how to reach that light at all. He doggedly worked at school, and accompanied Soubi on walks and excursions, even into the city a few times to go to art stores. But his eyes remained brooding, so often darkened with sadness.

Lately, Soubi had worked to help Ritsuka escape the shadows. He had Yuiko, Yayoi, and even Natsuo and Youji visit for Ritsuka's birthday, and again more recently. Soubi could see the shadows falling away from Ritsuka. The sun had shone through a while back, when they went to an amusement park, and shared their first "grown-up" kiss by the fountain. Ritsuka was old enough now that he looked at Soubi differently. Soubi had noticed the eyes the boy made at him when he thought Soubi wasn't looking. And he had certainly noticed the passion in Ritsuka's hugs and kisses. But he had only permitted the kiss with tongues recently, because he didn't want to scare Ritsuka away. He was worried that maybe it would become another thing for Ritsuka to worry over.

But Ritsuka had reacted eagerly, sinking into Soubi's embrace, his arms around Soubi's neck as he tiptoed to reach Soubi's lips.

It was remembering the eagerness that had made Soubi decide, mid-homework project with Kio, to visit Ritsuka late at night.

"Sou-chan! You can't leave _now_! We're almost finished!"

Soubi had smiled. "I know, Kio. We're almost done. So I can leave, right? I trust you. You can do it." And he had given Kio a grateful smile, leaving the man stammering and blushing in an attempt to hold onto his rage. Now Soubi was here sitting on Ritsuka's bed.

The boy had not known to wait for Soubi, but he had still stayed up late. (This he did when Soubi came to visit - it was a bad habit they had gotten into, because Ritsuka insisted that he shouldn't be sleeping when Soubi was visiting, but Soubi wanted Ritsuka to get enough sleep).

This time, it was homework that had kept Ritsuka up late, but it looked like he had fallen asleep halfway through it. He was sprawled on the bed on his back, his right arm bent and other flung outward, legs crushing a calculator and wrinkling page 57 of "Gorbidor's Economics Study Guide."

Ritsuka was usually tidy, but in his dark moods sometimes he just sat and brooded and left everything a mess. Soubi knew Seimei would have disapproved, but Seimei wasn't here anymore.

There was other evidence of schoolwork and chaos all over Ritsuka's bed. Textbooks and notebooks were sprawled all over it. A pile of them sat precariously at the foot of it, and half-finished math homework lay crumpled beneath Ritsuka's elbow. A pencil lay by Ritsuka's wrist, and an eraser was trapped with an empty mug and a bag of chips in the sheets by Ritsuka's tail. The wallet that Ritsuka had taken to tucking in the back of his pants was still attached by a chain to his belt. Soubi knew it had a picture in it of Seimei as a young boy, Seimei when he was older, Ritsuka's absent father, and recent ones of Soubi, Osamu, Yuiko, and Yayoi.

The shadows on Ritsuka's cheek fell onto the pillow by the slightly curled-in fingers. They had become long and tapering like Seimei's fingers. The boy had lost some of his baby look. He was taller and leaner now, and his shoe size something that Yuiko continued to tease him about. But his hair remained the same cut, and his ears were as soft as Soubi remembered. It was taboo to play with another's ears and tails much - like flirting, or something intimate you would only do with someone you knew very well. But Soubi liked to touch Ritsuka's ears, to remind him of Ritsuka's innocence, and because they were so soft. He liked to lean down and brush his cheek against them, earning him a glare or "idiot" from Ritsuka.

He leaned over Ritsuka's form now, smelling that delightful scent that made shivers run down his spine. His hand played with the belt loops of Ritsuka's trousers and he touched the wallet chain. As his fingers ran up it he pushed up the hem of Ritsuka's tanktop a little. The boy's skin was hot to touch, and soft. Soubi petted the hot skin of Ritsuka's belly, circling the navel. His finger paused as the boy stirred in his sleep. That dark head of hair turned a little, and now Soubi could see all of Ritsuka's face in the moonlight.

It was wrong to do this, but he couldn't resist. He lifted his cheek from touching the gently twitching cat ears. Slowly, his breath held in hopes to not wake the boy, he put his cheek against Ritsuka's. Then, he tilted his head up, and let his lips touch Ritsuka's in a ghost kiss.

His fingers on Ritsuka's stomach moved up slowly, pushing the shirt up with it. He brushed his thumb over the dusky pink of the boy's nipples. Ritsuka was a heavy sleeper when he was tired enough. _Why am I doing this? I shouldn't be doing this_. But his fingers kept moving of their own accord. Soubi pressed his mouth against Ritsuka's one more time, a little harder, and then forced himself to sit up. He was about to stand and leave when he heard a little sound. It sounded like a moan.

"Ritsuka?"

He looked back at the boy. That face was still shining in the moonlight, shadows gone. The boy lay as he had, and his eyes weren't open. Long lashes lay against porcelain cheeks. But the boy's mouth opened, and he said, "Soubi..."

It was the slurring, mumbling sound of a sleepwalker's speech. Soubi bent over Ritsuka again, whispering the boy's name. "Ritsuka? Are you awake?"

The sheets made a loud crackling noise as the boy moved his legs in sleep, and Soubi jumped as a textbook fell to the floor with a loud thump. But the boy slept on, his chest rising and falling in slow, steady breaths. Soubi put his hand on the boy's torso again, and pressed his lips against Ritsuka's. That mouth was so soft and full. He wanted more. So he edged his tongue in Ritsuka's mouth, playing in the heat and wet for a moment, before ending the kiss. He should stop now, but he didn't want to. When he licked over Ritsuka's ear and his neck the boy moaned in his sleep. Soubi did it again, harder, nibbling at the soft lobe of Ritsuka's ear. "Soouubbii..." Ritsuka clenched his fingers in the sheets, and his breath hitched for a moment, but then resumed pace again.

_How interesting...he's a very deep sleeper to not have woken yet. I know how tired he is...he must be dreaming, to -_

"Soubi...I-I'm taking a bath, what are you - _ohh. OH! _S-Soubi...more," the boy gasped the last word, swallowing hard. His shaking left hand crept down his body to grab at the belt buckle, undo the clasp, and slide the zipper down with a loud _zrrr_ that split the suddenly hot night air.

Soubi licked his dry lips. The room seemed to have risen in temperature, and he was gaping where he sat, his hand still resting on Ritsuka's chest. That left hand of Ritsuka's had fallen back on the bed, but the open zipper drew Soubi's eyes. He could see the dark blue of boxers beneath the open fly. He closed his eyes tight, trying to create thought in his suddenly frazzled brain. But that only made him more aware of his staccato pulse and the throbbing heat of his hard cock. He shrugged his arms from the suddenly stifling purple trench coat, letting it fall to the floor.

Slowly his hand began to move. It slid up Ritsuka's torso, and he reveled in the boy's smooth skin and hard muscles. His thumb brushed over the boy's nipples, again and again, until they were hard. Then he bent his head down. He could feel the wallet's soft leather by his arm, and his hard cock was pressing against something - the calculator? He groaned and grinded against it as his tongue lapped at Ritsuka's nipples. A high pitched whimper came from Ritsuka's mouth, and Soubi wrapped his mouth around the nub and sucked.

His hands were free, so he used them. One he used to unbutton his shirt, because it was far too hot in here. The other he used to slowly, carefully edge Ritsuka's jeans off the boy's slender hips. The boy's lusty dream was only fed by these actions, and he mumbled, "Soubi...you should have taken out another towel...before getting in the tub."

And Soubi briefly thought, _Maybe I should get a towel for this, to keep things clean_. But then Ritsuka was moaning, and his hand came down to rub over Soubi's back. The boy had never really touched Soubi, and it was electrifying. His fingers were curious-seeming over Soubi's back, tracing every curve and dent, pushing over scars. Soubi pulled away from the hard pink of Ritsuka's nipples, panting.

Then he was bent over again, blonde head wandering down Ritsuka's form. Briefly he licked in the deep crevice of Ritsuka's navel, eliciting a whimper, before reaching the waistline. The band of Ritsuka's boxers edged slowly down, and Soubi sat up, using both of his fingers to unwrap the heat he could feel there. In an excruciating moment he felt the calculator pressing painfully against his erection even as he feasted his eyes on the sight of Ritsuka's cock.

Eagerly he brushed his fingers over it, stroking the member to erection. He moved a little so he could bury his head between the boy's thighs, and began to lick and suck at the soft skin. As he sucked harder over the boy's thighs Ritsuka was moaning loudly, and rocked his hips upward. Soubi could feel the boy's cock slide up and down his cheek with each rocking of the hips. He held back any loud sounds and closed his eyes. That hard member slid up and down, the soft skin burning hot against his cheek, his temple. The boy increased his tempo, and now with each thrust upward Soubi could feel his cheek getting slicker and slicker.

But what called to him was the pucker of the anus, so close to his mouth with each thrust. So he gave one last bite to Ritsuka's thigh, grinning at the boy's pleading moan in response. Then he moved, abandoning the sweet pain of the calculator pressing at his cock, and instead sitting between Ritsuka's legs. He kept it so that he could still feel that slickened cock against his cheek, and put his hands on the boy's thighs, spreading them a little.

Then his tongue dove into the soft heat of that hole. It was tight and resisting; he had to wriggle his tongue again, again, again, before he could really bury it deep in the soft wet. When he did the boy cried out, and Soubi briefly wondered if Ritsuka's mother would awaken. For a moment all his doubts returned and he thought, _What am I doing? I'm taking advantage of him...I should be doing this when he's awake to choose, to say what he wants..._But a push of the boy's hips, insistent, reminded him that Ritsuka _did_ want this, at least in his sleep. Soubi had waited so long for this, that now that he had the opportunity, he did not want to let it go. The boy was dreaming about him, by some stroke of luck. How could he ever get this opportunity again? Besides, Kio coming onto him and calling him pervert only made Soubi get ideas...to come here and see Ritsuka so vulnerable, so delicious looking, made him NEED, desperately, to feed his fire.

So he stroked inward with his tongue again, and when the boy responded with another pleading sound, he thrust his tongue in, fucking the boy with his tongue. Harder and faster he pressed. His body was hot and his cock was so hard and he could feel Ritsuka's body trembling around him, over him. He withdrew his tongue and sat up again, and the boy sighed.

He remembered a strange phone call that he had gotten from Ritsuka earlier that day. The boy had seemed about to divulge something he was reluctant to say, the words, "I..I have to confess something, Soubi" echoed twice, before finally the boy gave up on trying and moved to the topic of school that day.

What had he been about to say? Was he going to say, _I have wet dreams about you, Soubi_? Was he going to say, _I wank off in the bathtub and imagine you're with me, Soubi_? Soubi laughed. He couldn't ever imagine Ritsuka saying any of that, the thought alone was ridiculous.

An inviting white bead of precome sat on the head of Ritsuka's cock. Soubi stared for a moment at this delightful image of Ritsuka spread out before him on the bed, those nipples hard and pink, the breath coming in pants, hair now mussed in disarray. The boy's cock was hard and long, jutting out from between soft thighs, crowned by a patch of dark curls. Mmm. Soubi bit back the growl of lust in his throat.

He licked off that little bead and then began to circle his tongue around the head, again and again. Ritsuka's hips thrust up into the warm, wet touch of Soubi's tongue, but Soubi refused the invitation. He licked all down the length of the shaft and back up again, and then back down. For a moment he just put his nose in that thick thatch of curls, breathing in the scents. Ritsuka's sweat, and a musky tangy smell, and that lavender aroma that always seemed to settle in Ritsuka's room. It all smelled delightful. He ran his tongue along the hilt of Ritsuka's cock, bringing a hungry moan from the boy. Who knew the boy had this in him? Well, he _was _a teenager, assumedly with a teenager libido, but nevertheless, Soubi had always seen Ritsuka as innocent, fresh. Tonight had proven him wrong.

Would he regret doing this? Would he feel terribly guilty about it afterward, though he had no plans to violate the boy? Would Ritsuka FEEL violated, even though he was asleep during it? It was too many questions to answer all at once, but Soubi knew, he would feel a bit guilty. He was not, as Kio said, a pervert. Well, not entirely. He couldn't just take this advantage and walk away with a light conscience. But he wouldn't walk away with a heavy, troubled one, either. Ritsuka's body, his sounds, his smell, all were too good to make this shameful in Soubi's mind. So many signs were saying that Ritsuka _wanted_ it, even though he wouldn't say so when awake.

Soubi slithered his tongue down to Ritsuka's balls, taking them in his mouth and sucking hard and long. Ritsuka's body arched off the bed a little, and his breathing was ragged. Soubi slid his mouth off with a humorous, obscene _pop_, and slid his tongue up the length again. He sucked at the head, groaning at the pulsating pain of arousal that was making his own cock twitch and beg for release. But Ritsuka first. Slowly, smoothly, Soubi slid the length in his mouth, and then out again. He did it again, a little faster, and by this time the boy was an absolute chorus of sounds that said, _please, please, please._

So Soubi moved faster, licking his tongue all over the hot cock as he pushed his mouth over it. He felt the head press at the back of his throat, felt the slick sweat and precome slide over his wet tongue. He savored the tangy taste and hummed in pleasure, making the boy buck and writhe at the sensations. Then he was bobbing his head quicker, quicker, and the boy's hips were driving up harder, faster, in jerkier movements.

With a gasp, Ritsuka came, the load shooting into Soubi's mouth fast and hard. Soubi swallowed it. With a hard throb he realized he was coming too, splashing over Ritsuka's thighs and stomach. So Soubi licked that up, too, until his tongue was numb from all the eager suckling.

Soubi sat up, brushing his hair from his face. He tapped at the sticky spot on his cheek with a finger, and then carefully edged back to sit on the edge of Ritsuka's bed, facing the glass door. Carefully, he cleaned up himself and Ritsuka with a soft washcloth he wetted in the bathroom, and then he did up Ritsuka's pants as they had been. He pulled the boy's shirt back down, and made himself presentable once more.

He did a quick once-over of the bed, trying to make everything relatively close to where it had been, unless it was close enough to Ritsuka's body where the boy could've moved it in his sleep.

With a smile, Soubi whispered to himself, "The shadows are gone." He felt like the shadows in Ritsuka had been creeping onto him, making him feel helpless, like he didn't know how to help Ritsuka. But all he had needed was an outlet for his pent up feelings, a moment to be passionate. Around Ritsuka, he had been careful. He had been soft and vague, all smiles and gentle speech, lately. This moment of passion with Ritsuka in the night made him feel alive again, like he was ready to face the world.

More soon! Please tell me what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

**SHADOWS**

CHAPTER TWO

_RITSUKA'S POV_

When Ritsuka woke up a few hours later, he felt groggy and strange. He remembered briefly drinking with Yayoi at a party they had attended after school, and trying to tell Soubi about it right before going to the party, when he had had his doubts. But then he had gone anyway, and come back to sleep it off and try to get some homework done. He, unlike Yayoi, had gone to a drinking party once before, and knew that he didn't get hangovers much. He just had to sleep, and when he slept after alcohol, it would be a very deep sleep.

So he woke up, and felt groggy and strange. Why? It wasn't a hangover. He never had them.

_Why do I feel like this? My body feels...heavy. But warm. Content. I feel like I had some sort of breakthrough. But how is that? I didn't even finish my homework, I was so tired and out of it. But I feel like something has happened, like something has changed for the better. _

Then he sat up.

"Oh..."

His ears were still there. His tail was still there. But they were _tingling_, like mad. It was like an itch that he could not scratch. When he stood up, he groaned in pain, for his tail _ached. _And the ache seemed to spread, down to his butt, so that he rubbed it with his hands as he stood by his bed, groaning in pain. His ears felt lighter on his head, and he had to reach up and touch them and fondle them several times to make sure they were still there. In fact, he fondled them so much that it began to arouse him. Yes, arouse him. Ritsuka had unusually sensitive ears and had only recently discovered their connection to his own...stimulation.

The tingling sensations kept on, and kept on, as Ritsuka yawned and got ready to shower. As he walked into the bathroom he started to worry a little bit. Hadn't he read back in science that when your ears tingled, it meant they were going to leave soon? Like if you did something with someone a little bit, the ears and tail would start to feel funny, but would only disappear when your ears were absolutely and completely taken? He DID remember that, he remembered reading that in science. Self stimulation didn't affect the ears and tail either, and he wasn't one to do that so much, anyhow. He was fifteen, but he still hadn't quite figured out what could really, really arouse him.

So now the tingling feeling was on him. The your-ears-weren't-quite-taken feeling. _What does this mean? What happened?_

He stepped in the shower to wash, and began to scrub all over. _What...what is this? _His neck hurt a little, right by his shoulder. He touched the spot, and there was a little ring there, risen up on his skin. What? Ritsuka stepped out of the shower and dripped on the tiles a minute, looking in the full length mirror. Hmm..._There's a red mark there. What's that from? Oh..._he remembered the mess on his bed. _I must have moved a lot last night, and pressed up against something. _

He got back in the shower, and everything seemed fine, until - "OH!" He dropped the soap in shock. "Wh-what..?"

His...his...between his legs..._it feels like something...was poking me in the butt. It feels..._he shuddered as he pressed two fingers deeper into that hole. _It feels amazing..._"Ohhh.." A soft moan fell from his lips.

With a blush, he realized what he was doing and stopped. _So this is why I keep dreaming...that sort of thing... with Soubi in the dream. It...it DOES...feel good. _

He hurriedly readied himself for school, and the day seemed normal.

After math class though, he sat at lunch, looking at his calculator. _A couple of the numbers rubbed off. The thing is old, my dad gave it to me years ago, but...but...I used it yesterday. All the numbers were there, then. Now, two of the buttons are blank. I'm missing my 5, and my 2. What happened?_

Ritsuka picked up the blue calculator, turning it over and over in his hands. What had happened to it? He pressed at the buttons, did a couple equations to make sure it was still working. It was. Then he held it up to his face.

The scent hit his nose and immediately Ritsuka's eyes widened. He knew that scent.

_It smells like Soubi._

As Ritsuka walked to science class, he wondered, _How is it possible that my calculator smells like Soubi? This is weird. What could have happened?_

He slowed his walk, because he wanted to call Soubi and ask. But what would he say? What if Soubi had just touched his calculator some time recently, and the smell had lingered there? Ritsuka's nose WAS unusually sensitive to Soubi's scent. Maybe he was just over reacting, maybe it was nothing.

"HEY, Aoyagi! Who gave you the hickey on your neck? Your boyfriend?"

Ritsuka whipped around to face the offender. Standing across the hall was Yamada Matsui, a snotty kid who hung out with the school bullies. Ritsuka reached up and gently touched the mark on his neck that Yamada was referring to. How had he gotten it?

Tail frizzling up in anger, Ritsuka spat back, "No, Yamada! I got it while I was at the house of your girlfriend, Saida." It was a lie, of course. He had never been to Saida's house. He watched as Yamada's face burned in fury. Everyone knew that Yamada liked Wataru Saida, except for Saida, and if it wasn't for his bullying clout he would be constantly teased about her; she never even gave him a glance.

"Oh wait, that's right!" Ritsuka crowed as Yamada's fists balled in anger and his face got even redder. "Saida's not your girlfriend, I forgot. Well, I guess she's fair game then, isn't she?"

Ritsuka gave the boy a smug smile and then proceeded to class, late for another reason altogether, and without any time to call Soubi.

_XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO_

The buckets of water that Ritsuka had to hold as he stood outside of the classroom were heavy. This was his punishment for being late, and it was humiliating. He hated it. The science teacher hated him, because he was good at science, but he wasn't the example of a model student otherwise. Ritsuka had been in a couple school fights; of course, he hadn't told Soubi that his wounds came from that, he'd blamed it on his mother, instead.

That was how Ritsuka had been invited to the first drinking party, actually. Some kid had approached him after Ritsuka defeated an opponent (for once – usually he put up a good fight but didn't win in the end. The other kids were mean to him about it, and the nurse and teacher pitied him. He hated it). The kid had invited him over, so Ritsuka had snuck out at night and attended the late party. At first when he saw the drinking he wanted to leave, and he almost got out safe.

But the kid – the very same who had invited Ritsuka, actually – snuck some alcohol in a drink he offered Ritsuka, and as the pain seeped away and was replaced by the sizzling burn of alcohol in his belly, Ritsuka thought, _this isn't so bad. _So he drank, and drank, so much that he had trouble getting home, but had refused to call Soubi.

Shame had burned in him for weeks after that, and he had spoken less to Soubi. But then, a week before his birthday, Soubi had started to bring Ritsuka to his apartment after school, and that made Ritsuka happy.

The second drinking party had been Yayoi's idea, and Ritsuka had simply come along. He wondered for a second, _Maybe I should call Yayoi. Maybe he has the weird ear and tail tingling feeling, too? Maybe it was something weird in the drink? Or maybe…_Ritsuka's eyes went wide. _What if I did something with Yayoi and can't remember?_

His panic rose a little higher as suddenly Shinonome-sensei came around the corner. _What is she doing here? Leave. Leave. Leave._

His mantra did not work, and the smiling woman started walking towards him. It had been years since Ritsuka was studied under her, and since he was in high school, it was easy to avoid the middle-grade teacher nowadays. He had changed, and every time she was near him he felt like he should be the happier, more innocent Ritsuka he had used to be. But how could he do that? He had tried, but he couldn't. Too much sadness made it impossible. Nowadays the memories Ritsuka took pictures of were places, because he couldn't stand to look at himself anymore. Speaking with Shinonome-sensei forced him to look at himself, deep inside himself, and he did not like what he saw there. He did not know how to make his own inner shadows go away.

"Ritsuka-kun! How are you doing? What are you doing here like this?" Shinonome-sensei smiled at him, eyes glinting from behind her spectacles. Her ears were gone now, recently, and it was a fact that had been whispered about for a while. Ritsuka had seen her once with her boyfriend. He was a tall, lean man with long dark hair and startling blue eyes. Those eyes reminded Ritsuka of Soubi's.

Ritsuka blushed and shuffled his feet, looking at the floor. "Um, I was late to class, Sensei…"

"Oh!" She glanced around the hall in alarm, as if looking for the culprit that had made something so terrible occur. _Or maybe she's looking for the old Ritsuka…the one she remembers, the sweet and shy little boy. Hmph._

"Let me do something about that," she said with a smile. As she said this she bent down and patted Ritsuka on the head, as if he were a little boy. He couldn't help glancing at her breasts when she bent down like that, and as she walked away he pinched his nose.

_She has a nice chest, I suppose, _but Ritsuka couldn't really care. He didn't agree with all the boys who insisted that the Geometry teacher, Rugo Sensei, was attractive. _Maybe I am into guys more…_Ritsuka blushed. He wasn't into Yayoi at all though, ugh. He hoped that they hadn't done anything. _Please please let the tingly feeling be only on me, not him. Please. _

To his surprise, Shinonome-sensei walked off, waving a hand to Ritsuka with a little grin. Then Ritsuka was invited back into class and allowed to participate, even though he had been late. _Shinonome worked her magic again...Not that she ever had any, really, but I think she's got it now, that authority that she didn't have before. I wonder what she was doing visiting the high school._

Ritsuka began to think about the tingly feeling again, and his thoughts were mixed with remembering what Shinonome-sensei's boyfriend looked like. _The man looks like Soubi, kind of…a brunette version…ah, but no mouth can match Soubi's mouth. It's so…so…_He couldn't find words for it, but the thought of it, and remembering how Soubi's tongue had sidled into his mouth…so slippery and hot and wet…

"Aoyagi! Aoyagi!"

"OH! Ouch!" Ritsuka swore and looked down at his hands. He had just spilled some sort of liquid chemical on them, and a stinging sensation was flooding down his fingers through his palms.

He stood up and quickly said, "I'll go by myself," before the teacher suggested another student accompany him to the nurse. Ritsuka already knew that nobody would even offer to accompany him. They all thought him a freak, sitting alone and pondering over his Septimal Moon notes, meeting Soubi at the entrance after school, fighting battles with other boys and constantly losing. A loner, with too much fur on his cat ears because he didn't trim properly, and a raging fire of a temper easily set off.

Halfway to the nurse's office, Ritsuka decided, _Forget this. I hate the nurse. She's just going to pity me. I hate that._

Ritsuka didn't like their pity. He didn't like the look on her face when she gave him bandages, or medicine or something. He didn't like the way she said, "Lie down, dear" and crooned at him. Yuck. It was babying, and it made him feel stupid, like he should be accommodatingly nice to her. Ritsuka didn't want to be forced to be nice. His mother was even crazier these days, making him sleep out in the cold yard some times, and his homework load was preposterous, and he had no one to talk to except Soubi. He had every reason to be angry. No one was going to take his anger away from him. It made him feel strong.

That was why Ritsuka fought the kids at lunch, even though he knew he wasn't going to win. He did it for the moment of power and glory that he got when his fists made their mark, when he had the other boy underneath him and he was pounding his fists into him, pounding, pounding. It only brought hell on him later though, of course, because the school called his mother and told her, and she beat him for it.

But that rush of adrenaline and strength was something Ritsuka longed for, something he got only in those special moments. He was willing to be hurt, over and over, just for that moment of strength. He wasn't strong in any other way; he had no will against his mother. He only had his will with Soubi because Soubi cared about him. Otherwise, he never had any strength.

_I can get bandages from Soubi. _

It took a long time for the cab to reach Soubi's house, partly because Ritsuka was so spaced out that it took him a while to give the man the address. Ritsuka tried to distract himself by staring outside, but his hands hurt. The green goo had dried on the backs of his hands, and he held his hands in the air, away from his body. As they got closer and closer to Soubi's house, his hands began to hurt more. Ritsuka shook his head angrily as he felt tears prickle his eyes.

_I'm not going to cry! _

When he got out of the cab, he had to admit that he wiped a few tears away, but then he steeled himself. _I'll have to face Soubi's questioning…or maybe he won't question. He's not like Kio, who would ask all sorts of questions if he were here._

To Ritsuka's disappointment though, Kio WAS here. Ritsuka could see them both through the window as he walked up the stairs. They were leaning over their final painting project, two blonde heads of hair. Ritsuka watched Soubi's long fingers holding that paintbrush so delicately, and sighed in contentment. Just watching Soubi paint made everything better, somehow. It made him peaceful.

But Kio was there, and Ritsuka didn't want to deal with questions. He wished he could just sink into Soubi's arms, but it would be too awkward. Kio would make Ritsuka feel like a little boy, or an idiot, and he wouldn't get to talk to Soubi. That's what Ritsuka did when he watched Soubi paint, he talked to him, and sometimes he would tell him about how troubled he was, how worried. Somehow, Soubi always knew what to say to make Ritsuka feel better.

When Ritsuka had told Soubi once about trying to save a girl from getting bullied and getting beaten up in response, and how guilty and sad he had felt afterward, Soubi had said, "Ritsuka, it was very noble of you to try and help. But first and foremost, before you help others, you must help yourself. Your heart here," and he had put a hand over Ritsuka's chest, "is hurting, and it needs to heal. Then you can don your armor and go riding off into the sunset to save girls."

They had laughed, and Ritsuka had thought to himself, _But I don't want to save girls, and I can't have the role of knight in shining armor. My knight is standing in front of me. He's saved me, so many times…and here he is trying to save me again. Why can't this calm he gives me grow and influence the time I spend without him?_

The walk home was slow. Ritsuka tried not to think of anything as he walked. As he passed the school he began a game of kicking a pebble along the sidewalk, and by the time he reached his street he had long gotten tired of it. But there was something about kicking the pebble; it was like watching Soubi paint. As long as Ritsuka didn't have to think about himself, he was fine. It was when he had to look at his actions, his words, and his situation, that he felt disgusted, ashamed, and sad. How to change it? How to let Soubi change it? How to open himself up to some sort of healing?

The answers came in an unexpected form. Ritsuka only realized it for what it was later, lying in Soubi's apartment. But when he lifted his head up at a yell and saw Yamada Matsui charging towards him, he didn't realize that this boy was the answer.

Before Ritsuka could even get his hands into fists (he wasn't sure he could, because they were injured), the other boy had pounced on him. They rolled across the street, slamming into a parked car, and then Yamada and another boy heaved him up, dragging him across the sidewalk to slam him up against a wire fence. Ritsuka felt the wire dig into his back as Yamada's fists on his shirt collar shoved. And then one of those hands was pushing at his stomach, and the other wrapped around his throat.

"You think you're so smart, don't you, Aoyagi? How dare you talk about Saida like that! What were you doing with her? You shouldn't even say her name, you're not worthy of it!" Spit landed on Ritsuka's cheek. He looked behind Yamada at the two lackeys who followed him. One of them was laughing, and the other looked bored. No help there.

"Yamada, it was a joke. I – ouch – hey – I didn't mean it!" Yamada's hands were tightening around Ritsuka's throat.

"Didn't mean it? Didn't mean it?"

The boy's curly brown hair bounced as Yamada shook Ritsuka, slamming him against the fence over and over. He was taller and stockier than Ritsuka, with meaty hands and dark, angry green eyes. Ritsuka would have liked to reach out and squash that big, ugly nose, but then Yamada whirled around and threw Ritsuka to the ground. In a second Yamada was on him, beating the lights out of him.

First it was with fists, again and again. Ritsuka cupped his hands over his nose so Yamada couldn't break it. The boy seemed to be intent on leaving bruises all over Ritsuka's neck. Then all of a sudden Ritsuka felt his shirt being lifted up, and something sharp and metallic was being dragged over his skin. He closed his eyes. Why wasn't he fighting? For a moment he tried, struggling, but it was no use. The other boys' hands held him down. This was like trying to fight his mother: there was just no way it could work. So Ritsuka gave up.

The metal thing slammed against Ritsuka's temple, and then clobbered his ear, and that's when his head started to ring. It continued to ring and ring as fists pounded into him. He could taste blood in his mouth, and then he was being turned over, he was being slammed against a car; he was lying on his back with that heavy body over him, crushing him. He reared his body up like a cat, trying to get the weight off him, screaming.

A fist bloodied his lip, scratched his face, finally got to his nose and Ritsuka felt the blood flow and congeal on his chin. The earrings Soubi had pierced him with for last year's birthday were ripped from his ears, and Ritsuka howled in pain. He could feel an ankle hurting, and one of his fingers was surely broken. A black eye made his face swollen, and when next he was turned onto his stomach he spat a tooth from his mouth. He had never been beaten this thoroughly by anyone from school, only maybe by his mother. This hurt! It hurt so much!

"STOP! STOP IT! STOP! IT HURTS!"

Ritsuka realized he was screaming over and over, and didn't even register the sound of feet pattering away, and screamed when a pair of arms wrapped around him. He kept on screaming, but after a few moments the soft voice got through to him.

"Ritsuka. Ritsuka. It's me. It's Soubi. I'm here."

Ritsuka looked up into those beautiful blue eyes. The street was empty. He could see pools of his own blood on the ground. His face felt swollen all around his left eye. Soubi's eyes were so beautiful. Soubi was here. Soubi had come and saved him again.

The boy curled up into a ball on Soubi's lap and cried. When the man gently lifted him up, Ritsuka put his arms around Soubi's neck and pressed his nose against Soubi, smelling that lemony scent in Soubi's hair. His tears and his blood were surely staining Soubi's coat as they proceeded to Soubi's apartment.

_Soubi saved me again. He's not a knight in shining armor, I take that back. He's an angel. My angel._

"Soubi…" Ritsuka whispered, as he heard the click of the apartment door opening.

"Yes?"

"I love you…"

Then the warmth and comfort of Soubi's bed, of _home, _enveloped Ritsuka, and he fell into a deep slumber.

_XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO_

_More soon!  
_


	3. Chapter 3

Here is an extra long chapter for your pleasure...thank you in advance for feedback! I'd love to know what you think. =D

**SHADOWS**

CHAPTER THREE

Soubi's POV

It took a long, quiet conversation with Kio to calm Soubi down, to make him not track down those boys and hurt them somehow for what they had done to Ritsuka. Usually Soubi had more self control and didn't let anger overcome him, even when others thought it might, or should. But this…this was unacceptable. This was Ritsuka, _his_ Ritsuka, that those boys had hurt, and Soubi didn't want to let them get away with it. But after a talk with Kio he felt much better, and decided to let it go. It was best. He needed to think of Ritsuka now, sleeping on his bed, not Ritsuka as he had seen him…

Ritsuka crushed and strangled by all those shadows, all that darkness, as he lay defeated on the ground with blood all around him, screaming in pain. Ritsuka with a black eye and blood, so much blood! It had taken a gentle, soft touch not to wake Ritsuka as Soubi cared for the boy's wounds. The boy woke up a couple times, crying out in pain, but then he fell back asleep moments later.

Soubi had gone to get Ritsuka after school as had become routine, to find Ritsuka absent. He thought maybe one of Ritsuka's friends had invited him to come over, except Ritsuka's friends didn't go to his school. So on the way to Ritsuka's house Soubi called Yayoi. He couldn't call Yuiko; she would freak out if she heard that Soubi didn't know where Ritsuka was.

Yayoi had then admitted to Soubi about going drinking with Ritsuka, and the tale of Ritsuka's first drinking experience at a party. He had even told Soubi, under a promise that Soubi would not say that Yayoi told him, about Ritsuka's fighting at school. Ritsuka had tried to keep it a secret from Yayoi, but Yayoi had pestered him about how he had been invited to the party in the first place. Yayoi was no innocent; he had wanted to attend such a party for a while, and so had determinedly grilled Ritsuka on Ritsuka's experience. Then they had gone together to this one the other night.

_So that's why Ritsuka didn't wake up, _Soubi had smiled to himself, as Yayoi had explained Ritsuka's "damn luckiness for getting no hangovers! He just sleeps it all off!"

And now here was Ritsuka, after so much trial and tribulation…Soubi was scared for Ritsuka. He was scared more so even now, that Ritsuka had reached the end of a long harsh road, and was standing at a cliff's edge. Could Soubi stop him from jumping? Could he pull him back, away from the reaching arms of that pit of shadows?

If Ritsuka would let himself be happy, then he would heal. Soubi had tried so much to make Ritsuka happy, and he knew that Ritsuka was happy when with friends. But at high school, Ritsuka was obviously in an extremely stressful environment. He had no friends at the new school, drinking parties did NOT help, and the fighting boys at lunch worried Soubi very much. How could he convince Ritsuka to stop that habit? Not that he did not understand the rebellious feeling, the anger…but Ritsuka had to let go of his anger. It would be scary, but he had to do it. It was the core, the heart of the matter, and it was driving Ritsuka crazy. And seeing Ritsuka like this, so troubled, and feeling unable to help, was driving _Soubi_ crazy.

Soubi got up from his seat at the foot of the bed where he had been watching Ritsuka, and left briefly to go buy some noodles. When he returned the boy was still sleeping. Soubi forced himself to stop staring at Ritsuka and went to make the noodles.

When they were done he ate some, because he told himself that he had to eat, _had_ to, even though he was worried about Ritsuka. He left a bowl of noodles on the bedside table next to Ritsuka, with plastic wrap over it to keep it warm.

The ankle was not swollen anymore, but the black eye would remain for a couple of days. Ritsuka's hands had a rash on them from some chemical spilled on him at school; there were a couple spots where skin had been scraped off, too. Nothing had been broken, but Ritsuka's body was bruised, and Soubi was sure the boy was emotionally hurting. With Soubi's skills at doctoring he had managed to fix almost everything, but the bruises around the eye would take a few days to fade, and Ritsuka's heart was much less easily healed.

A headache thumped in Soubi's head, so he got up to go to the bathroom and wash his face. When he looked up from drying he saw himself in the mirror. His long hair was bedraggled and dirty, the left side of his neck smeared with blood from Ritsuka's ripped ears and bloody nose, and his coat and shirt were stained with blood. Soubi pinched his nose, urging the headache to leave, and left the bathroom.

Night had fallen, and it was about nine pm now. Soubi put a kettle on to boil for tea so that he could drink some before bed. He glanced at Ritsuka before he shed his clothes, dumping them in the hamper to be washed. He grabbed a towel and then jumped into the shower. The hot water was so soothing, it felt so good. Immediately Soubi's body felt revitalized. The headache left, and Soubi leaned against the wall, sighing loudly. He felt so much more relaxed now.

"Soubi?"

Soubi opened his eyes. He turned his head and saw Ritsuka standing in the doorway. To Soubi's surprise the boy simply walked over. He opened the shower door, and slid in next to Soubi, letting himself and his clothes get wet. Soubi stood up from the wall and looked into Ritsuka's eyes. That deep purple gaze was upset, and it made Soubi want to hold the boy close.

Ritsuka put his arms around Soubi and buried his face against Soubi's chest. Soubi put his arms around Ritsuka, letting the boy cry it all out. They stood like that for a long time, and then Ritsuka pulled away. Without a word he left the bathroom and when Soubi returned to the room all dressed, his wet hair hanging over one shoulder, he found Ritsuka sitting on his bed.

Soubi slid next to Ritsuka on the bed, ruffling his hand in the boy's wet hair. "You're getting my bed all wet. Would you like a change of clothes?"

The boy shook his head. "No. Soubi…" He fell to the side so that his head rested on Soubi's shoulder, and slid his right arm around Soubi's waist.

"I thought about those boys," Ritsuka said, "and how they beat me up…and I decided I don't want to fight them anymore. I've been fighting them in school, and it hurts. It hurts a lot. It's not helping me heal, like you said I needed to. And I know I need to. So, I'm going to try to not be so angry anymore. Thank you for saving me, Soubi."

Soubi smiled at Ritsuka. "I'll always save you."

Ritsuka laughed, and it was a giggling, cute sort of laugh. Soubi hadn't heard that laugh in a long time, and it made him grin. "I know," Ritsuka said, and when he put his head against Soubi's shoulder again he sort of purred, like a cat.

Soubi shivered at the sound of that purr. It was a sexy sort of sound, low and satisfied. Quietly to himself, Soubi remarked, "I don't remember purring when I had my ears."

"You've forgotten a lot of things on ears, Soubi," Ritsuka replied. "Don't you remember science back in middle grade? They teach you about your body, the inside and the out…" Something changed in that moment, and Ritsuka's body was suddenly a little tense leaning against Soubi.

"They teach you about your tail, too," Ritsuka said, "…and your cat ears."

Soubi smiled, reaching a hand over to brush against Ritsuka's said ears. He held the tip of one of the cat ears between two fingers gently, and stroked up the whole ear with a thumb. That purring sound came again, and Soubi felt his body begin to have that warm feeling…where he was aware of all the little things about Ritsuka. Like the way the boy's tail was wiggling a little fast now, and the way he played with his toes. The boy's shirt was missing two buttons, and Soubi could see from his angle one of the boy's nipples beneath the stiff starched cloth. Ritsuka was wearing the formal school uniform shirt today, but had matched it with a pair of tight black jeans. The shirt was white and now had blood stains on it.

The remembrance of his night with the boy, and the things Ritsuka had said as Soubi's ministrations urged on his lustful dream…mmm…Soubi turned his body a little more towards Ritsuka and reached his other arm up and around Ritsuka's neck to fondle the other cat ear.

The boy had closed his eyes now, and purred louder as Soubi began to really get into touching them. He had never heard Ritsuka purr before, and he had never touched Ritsuka's ears with this much intent and force behind it. He was purposely rubbing his fingertips at the root now, and then up and down, softly stroking. The purrs came from deep inside Ritsuka, rolling long and deep whenever Soubi touched a particularly sensitive spot.

Ritsuka's POV

Ritsuka hadn't expected Soubi to start touching his ears this much. Now that Soubi had begun, he didn't want Soubi to stop. Unintentionally he had brought up the subject of bodies, and school, and ears…and then he had remembered the tingling feeling, and had thought, _What if it was because of Soubi? What if he…did something with me? But then wouldn't I know?_

He hadn't meant to catch Soubi in the shower after eating that bowl of noodles, but he had wanted to be with Soubi and feel better. Only half awake, really, he had wandered into the bathroom. And when he stepped into the hot water it had woke him up. By then he had been in the shower stall with Soubi – _naked Soubi! Holy cats! _– and it had been too late to turn back. And in the end, Soubi had listened to him, and held him close, and Ritsuka felt better now. He had been having disturbing dreams in his sleep, and being in Soubi's arms had chased all the dark things away. It wasn't all resolved yet, of course. But Ritsuka felt a lot better now.

_Especially with him touching my ears like this…_

His limbs seemed to have a will of their own, for Ritsuka watched his hands reach out and cup Soubi's face. His fingers pulled at Soubi's chin, directing it down, and then he pushed his lips against Soubi's. The man's hands were still on Ritsuka's ears, and a thumb still stroked one absentmindedly.

But then Ritsuka pushed his tongue into Soubi's mouth, and as the heat and wet overwhelmed Ritsuka, Soubi moved his hands down to circle around Ritsuka's waist. To Ritsuka's surprise those hands moved up from his belt, touching the wallet chain for a second, and then pushed beneath Ritsuka's school shirt, untucking the crisp white from Ritsuka's jeans. Those hands moved up and down a little, finally resting directly over Ritsuka's hips. He could feel Soubi's palms on his sides, and those long fingers were actually a little beneath his jeans.

_Wow…this is new! _Ritsuka was excited, now. He pushed his tongue harder in Soubi's mouth.

The wail of the teakettle came suddenly, wrecking the moment. Soubi slid out from underneath Ritsuka and clicked the stove off hurriedly. He turned back to Ritsuka with an apologetic smile, saying, "It's old. It always whistles too late."

A knock on the door threw everything off track, and Ritsuka watched in silent anger as Kio walked in.

_Does he have to show up _now_?_

Soubi sat down and began to speak quietly with Kio. Ritsuka didn't know what Soubi was telling Kio, but he hoped he wasn't saying that Ritsuka had been beaten up. Just the remembrance of it brought a flush of shame to Ritsuka's face.

He turned away from the two of them, curling up on the bed. He didn't mean to fall asleep, but somehow it happened.

Ritsuka had slept for such a long time. Stress made him tired. He had slept the night, and woke up to a quiet breakfast with Soubi, but Soubi had been in a rush to get to class. Today was Friday; yesterday was Thursday, and for a second Ritsuka thought, _Maybe I should go to school. _

Soubi seemed to read that idea in Ritsuka's eyes, for before he left, he said, "I want you to stay here today and rest. There's lunch for you in the fridge. I'll be back at around six o'clock this evening. Call me if you need anything." He paused at the doorway, and then looked back and pecked Ritsuka a kiss on the cheek. "Anything," he said with a smile.

Ritsuka closed the door after him, and ate. Then he did as Soubi said, and slept.

Now it was night again, and Ritsuka was trying to sleep. He tried very, very hard. He put an extra pillow under him at one point, but that only made his neck hurt. He tried the fetal position. He tried tossing off the blankets, but the cold woke him up even more. Finally, Ritsuka tried to sleep by resting his head on Soubi's chest.

It was comforting to be next to Soubi, to put his body directly in contact with the man's skin…Ritsuka shivered. The image of Soubi as Ritsuka had seen him on Thursday, naked, was floating in Ritsuka's head. He was remembering how soft and wet Soubi's skin had been. It now made Ritsuka want to put his mouth on Soubi's skin and suck it, like one of those ice-pops so tasty in the summer…

A low moan broke past Ritsuka's lips, and he felt his cock twitch. With a groan he reached down and pushed his shorts down his leg, hefting his already hard cock in his hand. Ritsuka slid up the bed a little, and buried his nose in the sweet scent of Soubi's hair. Trying to keep his breathing quiet, Ritsuka slowly stroked a thumb down his length. "Ahhh…"

He gripped it harder in his fist, and then began to slowly pump it, pushing his hips up in the air. The room was hot, and Ritsuka kicked the blankets from over his feet. He sat up on his knees, his breathing loud as he stroked his length up and down, faster and harder.

"Unnhh…f-faster…S-Soubi…"

Ritsuka was looking at the man sleeping beside him on the bed. That face was so serene in sleep. The limbs were long, and beneath a tight tanktop Ritsuka could see evident muscles. His eyes wandered down to Soubi's crotch, and now he was gasping, so close to completion. With his eyes on Soubi's lips he stroked his fingers deep into that hole again, moaning at the sensation, at how slick and hot his fingers got.

When he pulled his fingers out, he was tempted to push them in Soubi's mouth, to see those luscious lips sucking…"Oh! Ohhh…" With a low groan, Ritsuka came in his hand, falling back to lie on the bed.

A deep flush reddened Ritsuka's cheeks as he realized what he had just done, here in Soubi's apartment, on Soubi's bed, and with Soubi right next to him! Shit! But as Ritsuka looked at himself in the mirror after washing up, he couldn't help laughing a little. Having all this _Soubi_ around him, near him, had made it even hotter than usual. And the idea that it was forbidden…that he had to keep it secret…mmm.

Ritsuka had no trouble going to sleep after that.

Soubi's POV

Soubi woke up slowly, and laughed when he saw the boy in bed next to him. The blankets were all shoved down to the bottom of the bed, and the boy lay on his stomach, arms sprawled out, his mouth open and leaving drool on the pillow. God, it shouldn't have been attractive, but it was.

Ritsuka woke up late and they had a quiet lunch together. Soubi looked at the boy across the table, but he was intent on eating, it seemed. Soubi was searching for some sign in those purple eyes that Ritsuka was okay after what had happened on Thursday. _The beating, or that kiss shared on the bed? _Even he wasn't sure which he meant; he hoped Ritsuka was okay in regards to both. He was glad Ritsuka had gotten all that sleep; the boy needed it.

Just looking at Ritsuka made Soubi get up to put tea on; tea made people feel better, Soubi had discovered long ago, and he wasn't sure if it would make Ritsuka feel better, but he hoped so. After putting the kettle on he sat back down again.

Suddenly the boy stood up, shaking wet droplets from his just-washed hair. He stepped around the table and grabbed Soubi's hand, dragging him to sit on the bed.

"Ritsuka?"

"I wanted to tell you something, Soubi. Remember our conversation on cat ears and tails?"

Soubi looked down at the boy, and nodded. _Where is this going?_

The boy opened his mouth about to say something, but then he seemed suddenly at a loss. A flush spread from his cheeks down his neck, and Soubi's gaze followed that red blush. The boy was wearing the clothes from Thursday again, refusing clothes that Soubi had offered him to wear. Why he was intent on wearing his own clothes, Soubi didn't know. Maybe it was one of Seimei's weird teachings still left over, ingrained in Ritsuka's head.

Looking at Ritsuka for so long, waiting for the boy to get the courage to say whatever he needed to say, distracted Soubi from thoughts in general. He started to stare at the way the boy's eyelashes curled and fell on that gentle curving cheek. There were veins in Ritsuka's arms that Soubi's gaze followed, before his eyes were caught by the dip of Ritsuka's navel visible from a tear in the boy's shirt. He wanted to reach over and hold the boy, and for once, Soubi did what _he _wanted to do.

With a grin at Ritsuka's yelp of surprise, Soubi reached over and grabbed Ritsuka by the belt, and sliding down onto the bed he heaved Ritsuka to sit on top of him, over his lap.

"Tell me," he said, staring up into those glowing purple eyes.

Ritsuka's POV

Ritsuka had been about to tell Soubi about the tingling feeling, but then he got embarrassed. How to word it? How would Soubi react? He didn't know what to do, what to say, except that his night doing _that _in Soubi's bed, combined with his jealousy towards Kio, and still recovering from the beating on Thursday, was all making Ritsuka's thoughts a jumble in his head. It was very frustrating. He was in the midst of getting silently furious with himself when suddenly Soubi grabbed him around the waist, lay down, and now here he sat atop Soubi. His sour mood brightened immediately.

_Forget talking, _Ritsuka thought. _It's…it's too hard. Not because it's Soubi. I can talk to him, _only_ him, it seems sometimes. But some things are easier done…and not said? _

Ritsuka slowly moved so his body lay over Soubi's. He realized how good it felt to have Soubi under him, how _strong_ it made him feel.

_I don't even need to be fighting other guys to feel strong…I feel strong lying over Soubi like this, with control and dominance. He would follow my every order. This feels strong, and it doesn't bring about anything bad. And Soubi wouldn't let me misuse this power or let it eat away at me like the anger was doing…he likes it when I take control over him._

With this in mind, Ritsuka bent down and gave Soubi a kiss, slow and longing. The man's fingers slid ever so lightly down Ritsuka's torso, making Ritsuka shiver. Those hands stopped at their rest over Ritsuka's hips like they had been before. Soubi's tongue was eager and forceful in Ritsuka's mouth, understanding that Ritsuka was expressing himself through physicality. Ritsuka couldn't help it, that tongue was so gratifying: he let a moan out, and in response Soubi's fingers tightened against Ritsuka's waist, ten digits pressing into Ritsuka's skin and making his senses aware of a growing fire within him.

Ritsuka pulled back from the kiss and looked down at Soubi. The man looked beautiful lying down like this, his blonde hair in a mess haloing his head. Those long fingers were still on Ritsuka's hips, solid and comforting. Ritsuka copied Soubi, putting his hands over Soubi's hips. Then, he just couldn't resist. His fingers grabbed the hem of Soubi's cotton shirt and pulled. Each second in which more and more skin was revealed had Ritsuka's heartbeat thudding quickly. Soubi moved his arms so that Ritsuka could whisk the shirt off, and then Soubi put his hands back where they had been.

Ritsuka was going with instinct, going with the flow, doing whatever came to mind. But for a second when he bumped his sore ankle he thought, _Maybe I should be resting, holed up in bed again. I'm surprised Soubi isn't encouraging it, isn't stopping me from doing this. He follows my orders, but he doesn't let me do stupid stuff. That alcohol drinking was stupid, and I felt bad about it. That's why I almost told Soubi. This, though…_

He looked into Soubi's eyes, lost in that brilliant blue. _This makes me happy, like nothing has in a very long time. And how can I just rest, when the image of him naked keeps whirling through my head? _

Now that the shirt was off, Ritsuka's hands were on Soubi's now bare chest. _I've waited a long time to do this_, he realized.

Again the teakettle wailed, and again, _again_ Soubi got up to turn it off. Ritsuka turned to see if Kio was going to knock and walk in again, _déjà vu,_ but he didn't. So Ritsuka looked back at Soubi.

The man was reaching for cups from the cupboard, but Ritsuka had different ideas altogether. Slithering off the bed he walked to Soubi and grabbed the man's hands before the cups could be reached.

"Soubi…"

"Yes, Ritsuka?"

Ritsuka pulled the man down for another kiss, this one hot and fast and passionate. Ritsuka spoke between hot, licking moments in which he caught his breath between a series of kisses. The words came out in a long, lustful and groaning sort of tone. "Soubi…I…got the tingly feeling….with my ears and tail…so…they're…going to leave soon…and…"

The boy paused for a long breath, panting. Then he growled out as he pushed Soubi back against a wall, "I want you."

Soubi's POV

Why hadn't he ever known Ritsuka could be like _this_? Mmm, the boy was so good. That lavender smell was strong and sharp in Soubi's nose. It had washed over him from carrying Ritsuka home, spread to his bed sheets, and now here it was again, making him shiver.

Soubi was relieved that whatever anger Ritsuka had been holding onto was now only a dying, remembered urge. It had been unhealthy for Ritsuka. And now, it seemed Ritsuka's new outlet for aggression and power and strength was _Soubi. _Soubi liked it, as those decisive hands slid down his arms, and that mouth drifted from over his to lick at his ear. The sensation made him moan.

He had allowed Ritsuka to think about what he was doing, pretending he cared about the tea, when really all he wanted was for Ritsuka to dominate him. It had been glorious to see that look of want in Ritsuka's eyes. For a moment Soubi had felt guilty when Ritsuka mentioned the tingling feeling. He had forgotten about the existence of that, since his ears had left him so long ago, but now he remembered. So the tingling feeling had come upon Ritsuka because of what Soubi had done with Ritsuka while the boy slept. How interesting. Soubi almost wanted to tell Ritsuka, because the boy probably wondered, but…

The rest of the thought slid away from Soubi's mind as Ritsuka's voice spoke, from where he was determinedly making his red mark on Soubi's neck. "Soubi…is this okay?"

Soubi wasn't sure what he meant. The whole thing? The tongue? Having Ritsuka's body pushing him against a wall? All of the above was just fine with Soubi. He could feel every tense muscle of Ritsuka's pressed against his lower body, those long legs, and the cat tail slid perhaps absentmindedly up and down Soubi's thigh. That touch was making Soubi pant in anticipation. The tongue was slick and hot against Soubi's skin, thrusting hard one moment, soft the next, eliciting moans from Soubi. Ritsuka's cat ears twitched in response to his moan, and Soubi said hoarsely, "Ritsuka…mmph…use your teeth."

Ritsuka listened. His teeth scraped a trail down Soubi's chest. Those slim, curious hands stopped sliding over Soubi's arms and were on his belly. They moved slowly, touching Soubi's flesh in a way so wanting, so careful, that it left Soubi breathless. He moaned as Ritsuka's tongue flicked over one of his nipples even as the boy's fingers found the other, rubbing circles around it with his thumb.

Skin was something Soubi was curious to touch, too, even though he had secretly already touched Ritsuka before. He pushed the sleeves of Ritsuka's shirt off the boy's shoulders, ripping the buttons from the shirt. They both laughed as the buttons fell to the floor in a series of _ping ping_ sounds. Then Ritsuka's teeth were nibbling at Soubi's nipples, interrupted by swipes of that hot tongue. Ritsuka liked to use his tongue, Soubi realized, because there was something intense about the slow, forceful way he put it to use that went beyond the less poignant effect of fingers.

The boy purred against Soubi's chest when Soubi's hands slid slowly down his back, and when his fingers tickled down the spine, Ritsuka arched his back like a cat, and the purr was a lower, sexier sound rumbling from him. The boy's breath was hot and frantic as Soubi let his hand fall down to Ritsuka's bottom, groping.

"S-Soubi!"

This was the response when Soubi slid his fingers down the length of Ritsuka's tail. Soubi had touched Ritsuka's ears before, many times, but never his tail. As he stroked the thing harder, Ritsuka's purr became a hungry growl. The boy became shaky and wanting. He slid his body up Soubi's all of a sudden, making Soubi gasp at the friction.

Then his arms were around Soubi's neck and his feet were skidding up, and suddenly one of his legs was around Soubi's waist, the other bent so that Soubi was carrying their combined weight. That left leg was curled in, and Soubi could feel the tense muscles of Ritsuka's thigh against his own. That thigh began to scrape against his leg again and again as Ritsuka grinded his body against Soubi, rubbing his hips and groin against Soubi's.

Soubi found his breath getting shorter and shorter as the boy's body rubbed over him. This strange, animal-like response was making Soubi surprisingly hard. Seeing the boy lose control like that, and at the slightest thing, was arousing. This reaction, the purring in response to cat-ear fondling, and Ritsuka's lusty dream made Soubi wonder, did Ritsuka realize how sexual he was? How seductive? Soubi hadn't even realized how hungry the boy was for this until he had played with the boy in his sleep.

Slowly, Soubi made his strokes less, and then put his hand back over Ritsuka's bottom. The boy stopped growling and simply hung on. But the purr still rumbled in his chest, and Soubi's cock was now hard and pressing up against the boy's thigh.

Ritsuka's POV

Ritsuka forced his legs to untangle from around Soubi's waist and stood up again.

After such a sudden response to having his tail rubbed, Ritsuka was a little embarrassed. He could feel a flush burning his cheeks and flooding down to his chest, and when he looked up he saw Soubi's gaze on that flush.

Those eyes were so intent on him. When he heard Soubi's moans in response to him, Ritsuka felt shivers slither their way down his back. His tail had already felt sensitive and tingly just from hearing Soubi's sounds. Then the man had put his hands on the tail and…and…whoa. Ritsuka had his hands on Soubi's stomach and stared at his hands, trying to get his breath back and not feel so very embarrassed. As he stared at his hands he noticed the scars beneath them, and that made him realize Soubi had a _lot_ of scars. They were little pale, barely visible white X's and O's and all sorts of shapes and lines on Soubi.

_This is the real meaning of the word Fighter, I guess. He fights, no matter what the circumstance._

A bubble of pride in Soubi and happiness that this Fighter was his swelled inside Ritsuka. He smiled a little, and before he could stop it this fuzzy sort of purr came from his throat. Beneath his hands Soubi's torso stretched a little, and Ritsuka, listening closely, could hear a hitched, breathy sort of moan come from Soubi's lips.

What was more urgent though was Soubi's arousal. With that little movement, Ritsuka felt that hard length pressing against him. The boy gulped and his ears swiveled quickly around and around. _I..I…want that_, he thought abruptly. Yes. He wanted it. He wanted to touch Soubi everywhere, and put his tongue in every delicious spot possible.

For a quick second Ritsuka glanced up at Soubi's eyes and saw the fire of lust there, and just seeing it made his breath quicken and the tingle of pleasure plunge deeper to all parts of his body. The boy closed his eyes then, and tightened his hands on Soubi's waist. Soubi's hands were still on his bottom, and when Ritsuka moved a little they shifted with him. Slowly Ritsuka's tail inched over Soubi's hands like a worm, over, over, even as the boy shifted his hips so that he was standing sideways.

And with a tentative little breath and trembling hands now clenched at his sides, Ritsuka moved his tail over Soubi. The black fur swept up to Soubi's belt, tickling the man's stomach a little. He heard Soubi's sharp intake of breath in reaction. With his eyes closed tightly Ritsuka moved his tail down to glide over the tent in Soubi's trousers.

Soubi moaned in response, chuckling a little. Was that good? Ritsuka hoped it was, for it made him feel oddly a bit more courageous. He moved his body again, turning, so that now his back was to Soubi. And with a pleased "Mmm" sound he sunk back into Soubi's arms. Those lean arms went around him, and he could feel Soubi's long hair against his back and shoulders. Soubi groaned in response to having Ritsuka's butt against him, right _there_. His own state of arousal making his breath ragged and his cock hard, Ritsuka put his hands on Soubi's hips, digging his fingers into the skin. He noticed Soubi didn't mind the pain. With a push of his hands Ritsuka slid his body upward.

Soubi moaned and held Ritsuka tighter, and a sharp "oh!" came from Ritsuka's mouth. It felt good to have that hard length nestled against his butt, sliding between his legs. It made his limbs feel a bit jelly-like and he felt like his heart was suddenly located in his cock because all the pounding and twitching was going on down _there_.

Ritsuka had his body plastered against Soubi's, his back touching Soubi's torso, their sweat mingling and a pulsing, charged heat surrounding them. Every movement was a new discovery. The muscles of Soubi's arms were pressed against Ritsuka and he liked them there, solid and comforting, and Soubi's belly was flat and perfect.

Like some sort of magician Soubi sensed the jelly feeling in Ritsuka's limbs. Giving up the sensation of their bodies pressed together like this, he bent down and lifted Ritsuka up. One arm went around Ritsuka's waist and the other under his knees, and Ritsuka had to fling an arm out to Soubi's shoulders to try and gain some sort of balance. But it didn't work, he missed. So he laughed as he hung loosely in Soubi's arms. Soubi laughed, too, those blue eyes bright. Then with a plop he deposited Ritsuka on the bed.

Then, in a very Soubi way as if waiting for some order, the man just stood there. It was up to Ritsuka, who said, "idiot" as he did so, to get Soubi to move. He grabbed Soubi's hands and pulled, and when Soubi was lying on the bed beside him he said, "There."

The boy turned over to stare at Soubi and smile sweetly.

Soubi's POV

It was odd. One moment the boy was pressing that round bottom up against Soubi's cock, clearly enjoying it, and the next he was here, lying next to Soubi, and giving Soubi the most innocent boyish smile.

But Soubi liked the mix. If Ritsuka were too much one or the other, innocent or sexual, he wouldn't be as endearing. The mix and switching from one to the other was almost kinky and weird, and Soubi had always liked kinky and weird. He couldn't settle for anyone normal.

Soubi smiled in an equally tender way at Ritsuka, albeit with a teasing glint in his eye. He couldn't help but be a bit teasing. The boy was much more innovative than Soubi had thought he would be. It was Ritsuka who had chosen that interesting, oh-so-explicatory positioning earlier, and it was Ritsuka who had so fiercely pushed Soubi up against the wall and said, "I want you."

Ritsuka was the Sacrifice, the Master, so it was right that he take charge. Soubi enjoyed having Ritsuka be in charge. It was exciting. There was always the question of, what would Ritsuka do next?

With that sweet smile still on his face, Ritsuka slid up on the bed until his mouth was by Soubi's ear, and promptly stuck his tongue there. Soubi moaned and shut his eyes tight as the now familiar, once foregone haze of pleasure squirmed its way up his body. Somehow, it felt extra good because it was Ritsuka, Ritsuka who was biting and licking his way down Soubi's torso, and who was now rolling to lie back on the bed as Soubi gave him a deep, passionate kiss.

The boy arched his body upward, mewling softly, as Soubi's tongue circled around a nipple. "S-Soubi…" he gasped. In sleep the boy's body had been so still, but with Soubi's hovering over him, fingertips stroking up his body ever so lightly, and Soubi's tongue on him, Ritsuka was a wriggling, gasping mess. But Soubi liked that it was like this, urgent and moaning, instead of some calm affair.

Ritsuka groaned loudly when Soubi sucked at a nipple hard, teasing it with gentle nibbles of his teeth. He did the same for the other, and then his tongue was creating a wet path down Ritsuka's torso. The boy's tail was twitching from its place curled by his thigh, and he had his smooth, soft hands in Soubi's hair, on Soubi's shoulders, trembling fingertips curling over Soubi's ears.

A rumbling, wanting purr started up from Ritsuka when Soubi's tongue explored the boy's belly. He left gentle bites on the boy's stomach, reveling in the sweet smell and taste of Ritsuka's skin. The boy's skin was soft in youth, flesh sweet and sensitive to any touch. As he continued to do this gentle, experimental biting around Ritsuka's navel, Soubi slid his hand up Ritsuka's right leg.

He knew that the boy was aware of and enjoying this mix of sensation when the boy gasped the moment Soubi's hand reached his knee. With a smile, Soubi let his hand creep slowly more upward. The boy was taking in deep breaths of air now, and Soubi could feel that whole body trembling in Ritsuka's effort not to squirm. The cat tail thumped softly against the bed over and over, pounding harder and faster the higher Soubi's hand reached.

With the lavender smell of Ritsuka in his nose, and saliva of desire a froth in his mouth, Soubi lifted his head. His hand stopped moving. Ritsuka had his eyes closed, but at this sudden pause in movement from Soubi, he opened them. Those purple eyes were hooded with lust, the bottom lip dark pink from Ritsuka's teeth having bitten it. The boy's chest rose up and down rapidly, and he swallowed hard as he stared at Soubi, the Adam's apple moving slowly. A sheen of sweat covered the boy's skin. His nipples were pink and hard from Soubi's previous suckling.

Soubi let his gaze drop down again. He bent his head low to breathe softly on Ritsuka's skin, knowing that just that alone was maddening. He could see how eagerly the boy's body was waiting. Gently he laid his hand over that firm bulge, hearing Ritsuka's gasp. He put his thumb by the zipper of the black jeans and brushed it up and down, pressing a little harder, asking.

The sudden thrust of the boy's hips up, up into his hand and he could feel the pulsing heat there, was a definite yes. But to make it even more clear for his Fighter the boy tugged on strands of long blonde hair, saying, "Soubi!"

Soubi licked his lips.

When his head moved down and his mouth pressed against that sensitive area, Ritsuka made a small whimpering sound in his throat. Soubi's every sense was hyper-aware in that moment, taking in Ritsuka's sounds, feeling the boy's sweat and skin under his fingers, the rough scrape of the black jeans, that intoxicating scent. The gold metal was tangy and cold in his mouth as he took the zipper in his teeth.

With a simple turning of his head the zipper was undone. Soubi put his fingers through the belt loops with an indulgent, eager smile. When the jeans were off, tossed over the foot of the bed, he drank in the sight of the boy's thighs. They were as soft to touch as he remembered, tapping his five fingers in a tense, energy-charged dance over the skin. Ritsuka's legs were long and seductive, his toes wiggling a little in that funny habit of his.

Soubi replaced his fingers with his mouth, sucking red marks on Ritsuka's thigh. He laughed at how much Ritsuka's leg trembled. The boy's voice came from above him, low and husky. Just the sound of it like that made Soubi aware of his cock and its needs in a breath-stealing second.

"Soubi, d-don't laugh."

The boy's hands tugged harder at Soubi's hair, and Soubi "mmm"ed against the boy's skin. Then just as his hand had done earlier, he moved his tongue up in a teasing way. Ritsuka's legs slid upward a little, and then Soubi could feel the boy's heels sliding down his back. He had his knees open wide and his legs up around Soubi's neck, the firm calves against his back, those feet hooked together, and the heels touching the small of Soubi's back.

It was delightful to be able to put his hands at the back of Ritsuka's thighs. The boy let out a shaky breath and a groan as Soubi's cheek brushed against his hard length. Soubi's own cock was aching but he ignored its pleading, and slid his tongue up under Ritsuka's shorts to glide over the balls. The boy made loud sounds in response, and began to rock his hips up, his twitching cock brushing up against Soubi's cheek again in a move reminiscent of that first time Soubi had done this to Ritsuka, while the boy slept.

Eagerly, in an aroused sort of stupor, Ritsuka moved his legs so that Soubi could strip him of his last article of clothing. When it was done, Soubi looked up at Ritsuka and whispered softly, "Ritsuka…you are beautiful."

He was rewarded with another of those shy blushes. This made him smile. He moved his tongue slowly, reverently up Ritsuka's cock, letting the wet muscle slide up the hard length. Ritsuka's breath was quickening, and when Soubi ran his tongue down the length on the underside, those heels dug into his back painfully hard, the boy's whole body shuddered, and another of those whimpers made the hair on Soubi's body stand on end.

Soubi began to give Ritsuka's cock gentle, licking kisses. Three down and up the length, one in the soft curling hair, and then he put his mouth over the head. He sucked for a moment, swirling his tongue around and around. A moan of his own filled his body as he moved his head down to suck at the tight sacs. Every breath ghosting through his lips was filled with lust. His body was flooded with it, overwhelmed by it, paused and slain by it as his mouth touched Ritsuka and Ritsuka responded wonderfully.

But there was something else to consider, too.

"Soubi…unnhh…you're…moving….too SLOW!"

Soubi laughed at the boy's tone, sensing the begging and pleading beneath it that Ritsuka would not admit. Obediently, he put his tongue over the head again, and then slid his lips over it. Like a piece of poetry, like a completed painting, like a puzzle piece fitting together, his mouth glided over Ritsuka's cock, taking it all in.

With that final touch to this intricacy, this fulfilling of Soubi's body, his mind, his soul, Soubi began to move in a different way. He decided to be more aggressive. Ritsuka shouted in surprise as Soubi's tongue swirled around his cock with sudden speed. And then he would slow, and lap at the head, and Ritsuka sighed in response. Then his body would tighten again, his sounds echoing through the apartment, when Soubi's mouth sunk lower over his cock again.


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you all for the reviews! It's been about a month, so I figured I'd be nice and update...this one is a little shorter, sorry. Please tell me what you think!_

**SHADOWS**

CHAPTER FOUR

Ritsuka's POV

X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X

As soon as Ritsuka's felt that hot wet sensation, he was drowning in waves after waves of bliss. He had thought Soubi's mouth was good when it kissed his, and it _was_, but it was nothing like Soubi's mouth on him _there._

Soubi's tongue gliding over his sensitive skin was like…like nothing Ritsuka really had words for. It made his limbs feel heavy and the most animal like, rumbling sounds and purrs come from his throat. Coherent thought left him altogether and he was a mess, sobbing Soubi's name, shouting, whimpering. When Soubi's mouth left him for a moment he arched his body up, feeling empty at the loss. The heat became an overwhelming, scary thing that surrounded him, instead of a comforting, sexual caress, when he lost Soubi's tongue on his skin.

With his fists in the sheets and his tail rubbing against his thigh, Ritsuka moaned, "Please, Soubi…_please, please…!_"

And he wasn't at all ashamed, because he knew that it drove Soubi mad, to hear him beg. Soubi might think that he should be begging, as the Fighter, but Ritsuka knew that Soubi was turned on to know how much Ritsuka wanted him. To know that if Ritsuka didn't get what he wanted, he was going to go crazy, or fight for what he wanted.

Soubi wanted to see Ritsuka fight for it, though. He wanted to have Ritsuka _make_ him do it, to dominate him, to be the Master and make Soubi follow orders. So because Ritsuka knew Soubi, and knew that Soubi could just do it because he wanted to, but preferred to be dominated, Ritsuka became forceful.

Ritsuka pushed his body up and bowled into Soubi, making them roll over the edge of the foot of the bed to land, panting, on the floor, with Ritsuka on top of Soubi. He could already see how hungry Soubi was, even more so than before, at this move. When he was younger he would've thought, _I don't want to hurt him, I don't understand_, but he understood Soubi now. Soubi _liked _to be the beggar, the one being teased, the one being punished. So it was up to Ritsuka to reverse this situation and make it like Soubi liked. He wanted to please Soubi, and besides, he was curious.

So he pushed Soubi over, gasping at the sensation as, in an interesting alternative, it was Soubi's bottom pushing up against _his_ hard, throbbing cock. The man was curled on the floor on his hands and knees, and Ritsuka was kneeling over him, his torso bent over Soubi's, the man's trouser pockets tickling his hard cock. Slowly, experimentally, Ritsuka began to move. He pushed his body closer to Soubi's, and put his hands over Soubi's arms. His chin nudged aside Soubi's hair so that his mouth could touch Soubi's shoulder.

They both groaned as Ritsuka rocked his hips up and down, making his length slide over Soubi again and again. The boy gasped as his cock nestled between the two cheeks for a moment. He stopped, and stood up.

Soubi had his forehead pressed hard against the floor, and those blue eyes looked up at the Sacrifice. "Ritsuka," he gasped, and the word alone was suffused with so much: with love, with need, with lust and pleading.

Ritsuka bent down and scraped his fingers slowly down Soubi's back, watching the man's face change from want, to an agonizing look of lust that made Ritsuka's heart thump, to an exquisite look of satisfaction.

Taking hold of the man's shoulder, he pushed Soubi over and knelt beside him. Those eyes were so bright, that mouth so seductive. Just the motion of Soubi's tongue sliding over his lips was enough to steal Ritsuka's breath away from him.

"Soubi…I want you…to be very, very still."

When Ritsuka's mouth descended over Soubi's chest, even when he bit hard enough to draw blood the man did not move. When the boy sat down over Soubi and rubbed his cock over Soubi's groin, the man didn't move, only groaned. When Ritsuka grabbed his wrists and pulled him up, Soubi moved. But he was very still as Ritsuka placed him on a chair, and tied his hands behind his back and his ankles to the chair. He let Ritsuka put gentle fingers on his forehead and slowly push his head back. He let Ritsuka brush his hair away from his face.

When Ritsuka put his trembling fingers over Soubi's crotch, he felt a thing akin to ecstasy ripple through him. It was the feeling he had had when Soubi had been licking him, like he was flying closer and closer to some distant point, a point which, when reached, would be some sort of explosion. But it wouldn't be a destructive one; it would be a glorious one, a creating one. He felt his breath quicken as this feeling came to him again, and stroked Soubi harder.

Ritsuka bent down to kneel between Soubi's legs, and leaned his head in. He could smell the musky scent of Soubi, mixed with the oil and ink flavor of Soubi's apartment. A thrill shot through him as he put his lips on the thrusting hardness, giving it a shy kiss.

Then he untied Soubi and led the man back to the bed. He pushed Soubi down and rolled back onto the bed himself, saying, "You have to finish it."

It was with a renewed eagerness, and a shaking delight at being ordered so fiercely, that Soubi put his hands on Ritsuka's thighs again. Now his tongue was smacking and lapping at Ritsuka, and his head was moving faster and faster. He licked up the precome with enjoying moans, and when Ritsuka gasped, "Faster, Soubi," he complied.

The pleasure was rushing at Ritsuka, and he closed his eyes tight. His whole body was tight for a moment, his cock so hard, and then he came. And as Soubi drank he watched, groaning. There was something so seductive about watching Soubi swallow it, those cheeks hollowed, the tongue and throat working. It made Ritsuka want to do it all over again. He felt suddenly older, a little, to want this so much. It seemed like Soubi was the answer to everything.

Soubi's POV

It was glorious to watch the boy sink back onto the bed, a pleased smile on his face, and to have the taste of the boy's come still tangy in his mouth. The boy's sudden demanding attitude had only excited Soubi more, so he lay back down next to Ritsuka. Though he had came along with the boy, remembering the sensation of Ritsuka's body lying over him was making him hard again, minutes after.

With a glance at the boy, who seemed to be dozing off, Soubi got up off of the bed. He shut the bathroom door with a tiny click and slid into the warm embrace of the shower. Just as he was lathering the soap and putting his hands on his now wet body, the door opened, and Ritsuka walked in. He was still naked.

Without a word, the boy bent over and switched the setting from shower to bath, and then sat down on the rim. When the bath was full he switched it off and slid down into the water. Soubi was reminded of how, when he had played with the boy's body in his sleep, the wet dream that Ritsuka had been dreaming had involved he and Soubi in the bath together.

Soubi didn't have any bubble bath bottle, so through the clear water he could Ritsuka's nude body as the boy stretched out. Those small hands grabbed hold of the rim and Ritsuka stretched out his body, touching Soubi's ankles with his toes.

It was a funny sort of thing, so Soubi laughed. At the sound, Ritsuka's eyes opened and he looked straight up at Soubi.

A blush reddened the boy's cheeks as he stared at Soubi. Soubi only became more aroused with that searing gaze on him. Ritsuka said softly, "I think you're beautiful too, Soubi."

Then Ritsuka was standing up, the water sloshing around him as he walked three steps across the tub. With firm but gentle hands he pushed Soubi's shoulders, making Soubi sit down on the wide silver tap where the bathwater came from. It was cold against Soubi's buttocks, but his body only felt hotter for it. And standing proud above the end of the tap now was his erection.

Ritsuka was standing over Soubi. Water dripped down from his body onto Soubi's, sprinkling onto the man's legs and his stomach and his cock. Ritsuka brushed back his slick bangs up into the rest of his hair, giving his face a less innocent look. His ears twitched back and forth on his head and he said, "Soubi…I'm sorry to wreck your shower."

Soubi swallowed hard, trying to look into those glistening purple eyes instead of at all the rest of Ritsuka. Hoarsely he replied, "I like baths better."

The boy smiled, and kissed Soubi. It was a hungry kiss, with Ritsuka's tongue lashing about. His hands cupped Soubi's cheeks. Then when he pulled away just a little, he bit at Soubi's bottom lip and then licked up the blood created there with a soft, "mmm."

_He certainly has…an appetite_, Soubi thought to himself as he stared at the lustful look in Ritsuka's eyes. He watched the twitching ears and the dark head of hair as Ritsuka slowly sunk down to his knees.

With a clammy, smooth hand Ritsuka touched Soubi. He brushed his hand over Soubi's thighs, first one, and then the other. Then, tentatively, he wrapped his hand around Soubi's cock. For a long moment he stayed like that, just dwelling on the sensation.

Soubi grunted as that grip moved up, the thumb occasionally stroking up and down as the hand slid slowly up, up, and then down Soubi's cock. Ritsuka released his hold and then simply stroked, up and down and up again. His touch was very light. Curious fingertips nudged at the head, making Soubi gasp, and even brushed over the balls, and tickled through the soft blonde hair.

When Ritsuka's tongue began to lick, hard and strong and long licks of his tongue, Soubi was gone. He felt his brain seem to stop functioning and his every cell was focused on Ritsuka's tongue. The boy kept licking, caressing the thick length with hard, hungry strokes. He didn't stop, he only kept moving, the soft moan or hitch of breath or "mmm, Soubi" signs of his pleasure. Soubi hadn't realized how much Ritsuka would like doing this. It made the pleasure not just sidle through him but positively thrum through him, that Ritsuka was so eager.

The boy's fingernails were digging into Soubi's thighs, making red scrape marks and making Soubi even more aroused. Ritsuka's tongue wriggled against the underside for a moment, and as he tilted his head to get a certain spot his hands moved. They slid down the sides of Soubi's thighs decisively, and forced Soubi to move his hips up to accommodate them. Then Soubi leant forward as those hands cupped at his buttocks, squeezing, and as Ritsuka kneaded the skin Soubi groaned. He grabbed hold of Ritsuka's shoulders quickly as suddenly that mouth was sinking over his cock.

So even as the boy's tongue was moving and that mouth sucked, and sucked hard, the hands on Soubi's buttocks were giving him a firm massage that left Soubi breathless. When the boy dared to use his teeth Soubi moaned in appreciation, thrusting up deeper into the boy's mouth. With surprising endurance the boy took the length in. He hummed, the sensation driving Soubi to louder cries. The boy's hands were exploring, pushing, and now pressing his fingers into Soubi's entrance.

Soubi's hips were thrusting forward and back hard and fast, slamming again and again into Ritsuka's hot, wet mouth. He felt himself plunging deeper into pleasure as Ritsuka's curious fingers prodded and slid against the walls of his entrance. Then that tongue swiped again, and Soubi pulled back and let his body sink down into the tub. He came hard, shuddering, with Ritsuka's hands on his shoulders.

The boy was panting after coming, too, his breath hot and fast on Soubi's forehead. They drained the water and then washed up quickly. Dinner was a welcome thing after all of that, and both ate hungrily.

When they finished, Ritsuka stood up and asked quietly, "Soubi, can I watch you paint?"

_More soon! Please review! I really think this is one of my favorite parts...I like the bathtub scene a lot. What do you guys think?_


	5. Chapter 5

_I am so happy that people are enjoying this fic! yaay! Thank you for the reviews. I hope you like this chapter._

**SHADOWS**

A Loveless fanfic

by The Ultimate Otaku

CHAPTER FIVE

_Soubi's POV_

_XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXO_

When they finished, Ritsuka stood up and asked quietly, "Soubi, can I watch you paint?"

Soubi nodded and lay out on the floor his current work-in-progress, and put his paint brushes and other supplies in order. Ritsuka sat down on his haunches on the floor across from him, that long tail wagging in the air like a happy dog's tail, ears twitching in curiosity.

With firm, decisive moves, Soubi picked up the large brush and started to do a wash of light blue behind the landscape of woods. It was a dark woods, but the sun peeked through them a little bit, and there was a point of light beyond the shadowy trees. Above the trees was going to be a pale, breathless sky, full of hope and energy.

As Soubi kept his hand moving back and forth, slow and sure over the canvas, he snuck glances at Ritsuka, who was watching him. Those eyes were glued to his hand and to the canvas, occasionally roaming to an area he had already painted, noticing new little details. The boy's hands were in his lap and his mouth was open. It was a very boyish, innocent sort of pose and reminded Soubi that Ritsuka was only fifteen. There was a way of moving though, already, that showed Ritsuka had gained confidence.

"Soubi?"

"Yes, Ritsuka?" His hand kept moving, stroking the canvas in a rhythmic, intimate caress. He wanted to touch Ritsuka again like this, to caress the boy's skin with his fingers, with his mouth, his tongue, his teeth, his_ cock_…Soubi felt a stirring to attention at just the thought of this.

"I think the woods are where we were, Soubi. It's dark, and beautiful…look at how delicate the leaves are, how they hang so still…look at the grass and how it blows just barely in the wind…and the way you've painted a bit of red, as if the sun is rising from the distance…but at the same time the red is a little threatening…I think we have reached, or can reach, that little point of light. The sunlight is falling on us Soubi, like in that picture you gave me for my birthday. The light in that other painting is haloing around our heads. Here Soubi, you have this pretty sky and that point of light. When I see this painting, my eyes are drawn to it…like that's where I'm meant to be, Soubi."

Soubi sat back, and let the paintbrush fall gently from his fingers. "Is that what you see, Ritsuka?"

The boy nodded, and Soubi smiled, saying, "I like that concept. I'm happy that you can focus on the light and not be caught up in the woods' shadows."

Ritsuka sat up a little, still on his knees on the floor. Putting his hands on the floor too, he leaned over the canvas. The boy's smile was suffused with love and light and passion as he whispered, "Kiss me."

So Soubi leaned over the canvas, and their two heads met halfway. Ritsuka's kiss was soft at first but then somehow, in that way that he had learned to read Soubi, he sensed the edginess in Soubi and made the kiss more passionate, tongue twisting in and around.

Then the boy pulled away. His face was flushed. "Soubi, come here."

It was hard to stand up, because Soubi was losing himself. He was losing the control that he was so good at keeping, usually. Ritsuka was the exception to this. Ritsuka made him feel heavy and needy and fiery with desire. This desire felt like he was stuck in a whirlwind and stumbling, but Ritsuka would be on the other end and then the world would right itself again.

And it was just like this now, too. When he sat down next to Ritsuka he stopped feeling so crazy, because he knew that Ritsuka loved him. Ritsuka wasn't Seimei. He would let Soubi find completion. He would _be_ Soubi's completion. And this in every way, not just sexually.

Soubi watched as the slim fingers wrapped around the handle of the big brush. The brush was three inches across and one inch tall, with a wide handle. The handle looked bigger with Ritsuka's small hand around it. The bristles were still wet with the thick eggshell blue oil paint.

"Put your hand over mine, Soubi. I want to paint with you."

To reach over and put his hand over Ritsuka's seemed like opening a door that suddenly appeared. It was a small gesture, but somehow Soubi felt like it was a message. Ritsuka would let him be the guide, perhaps, but Ritsuka would say the orders. And the end result would be closeness.

Soubi slid behind Ritsuka and went down on his knees, and hovered over Ritsuka. His chest heaving a little in heavier breath now brushed up against the boy's shirt. The wallet chain teased his thigh.

He lay his arm over Ritsuka's, and gripped the paintbrush with three fingers, laying his hand firmly over Ritsuka's, taking hold of the boy's hand and the brush. It was exquisite to have that soft skin beneath his, to feel the ridges of the knuckles.

Ritsuka laughed a little, and Soubi smiled to hear it. When he blew air against the boy's ear, just to be teasing, he heard the sharp intake of breath in response. For a second, he let himself go, like he had earlier. The boy yelped when Soubi's tongue sidled up his ear.

"S-Soubi! We're supposed to be painting."

The tone had turned from panicked to stern in a matter of seconds. Hearing his Sacrifice's anger only made desire boil more rapidly inside Soubi.

Slowly, his grip consistent and firm, Soubi began to move the paintbrush back and forth. Occasionally he would repeat painting an area, to get spots away. He liked how whenever he would pause to dip the brush into the paint, Ritsuka's hand would tighten on the brush. And when the paintbrush was hanging in the air, dripping paint, Ritsuka's tail would rub the underside of Soubi's thigh (Was he doing that on purpose? It was driving Soubi absolutely _crazy_).

Finally, the sky part of the painting was almost complete. There were a few fine strokes with a small brush required to paint around the edges of the tree tops. But Soubi didn't want it to be over, didn't want to be done having the boy's body practically spooned beneath his with so much friction. The tail rubbing against his thigh even when he put the paintbrush aside was a hint, he thought.

"What do we do now, Soubi?"

The tone was innocent, but there were hints that betrayed an ulterior motive. Ritsuka allowed his body to lean back against Soubi's, and his hands were on the man's thighs. That tail was creeping up his thigh to surely caress the growing need between Soubi's legs.

Suddenly the boy stood up, and Soubi watched as Ritsuka walked across the room. He watched the sway of those hips, and the boy's small, round ass in those tight black jeans. He watched the way Ritsuka's tail bobbed in the air, and how confidently Ritsuka _sauntered_ across the room. He _knew_ Soubi was watching him.

Then Ritsuka turned back to face Soubi, and a hand reached out. "Come here."

With his vision tunneled down to contain only his Sacrifice, Soubi walked over to Ritsuka and stopped inches in front of him. He laughed a pleased laugh as the boy tilted his head up for another kiss. Then those arms were looping around and yanking Soubi's shirt off, followed by Ritsuka's.

Soubi let himself be pushed back to fall onto the bed, and slid his body upwards until his head sunk against a pillow. Ritsuka flopped down to lie beside him, purring.

"What do we do now, Ritsuka?" He didn't mean to sound like he was mocking Ritsuka. He made his tone low and soft, and he saw the effect it had on Ritsuka. The tail stopped moving abruptly and the purple gaze raked over Soubi's body. It was like a stick prodding at a bunch of coals, coercing them aflame.

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Ritsuka's POV

_What to do now, indeed? _Ritsuka felt suddenly at a loss. He might be confident in some moments, but it only took seconds for him to then lose that confidence. The one thing he was confident in was Soubi, and that he wanted, no, _needed_ Soubi. He needed Soubi's touch, Soubi's mouth, Soubi's laughter and smile and love.

The baffling thing was that he had it all, and what had he done to deserve it? It was, somehow, being himself that had made Soubi fall in love with him. And Soubi doing the same had reaped the same reward. It was mysterious. Mysterious like Soubi had once been. Ah, but there were still mysteries Ritsuka didn't know. But he wanted to know them! He didn't want to be left not knowing. He hated not knowing.

Ritsuka realized he wanted Soubi to take his ears.

It was the thing that he hadn't explored yet. It was the final step to this feeling that he really knew Soubi, and that he and Soubi were meant to be together. Ritsuka wanted to know, what would it feel like? What sounds would Soubi make? He already had memorized Soubi's smell, and now Soubi's taste. Delicious. But he wanted the last piece of the puzzle, too. Otherwise, he would feel incomplete.

But he couldn't just out and _say_ it, could he? Ritsuka opened his mouth and thought, _Soubi, I want you to take my ears_, but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth.

So he pushed himself up onto Soubi and began kissing the man everywhere. Soubi's neck, his chest, his stomach…and when Ritsuka put his hands on the belt and started to unbuckle it eagerly, breathlessly, he heard Soubi's soft moan of need. The belt was rough in his hands, the pants heavy and obstructing as he slid them from Soubi's legs.

When Soubi was finally naked, Ritsuka moved back onto the bed and tugged at Soubi's wrists. Soubi obeyed the silent command. He rolled over to hover with his body fluid and caressing over Ritsuka. Those arms wrapped around the boy. The long blonde hair created a perfumed veil around them as Soubi kissed Ritsuka.

With so much precision, with every touch meant to make Ritsuka purr and tremble in pleasure (and he did), Soubi's hands and mouth moved over him. His tongue licking down Ritsuka's neck drove Ritsuka to squirm and mewl beneath his Fighter as the man's thumbs simultaneously teased his hard nipples. Then mouth replaced thumbs, and those fingers were sliding down his sides as that delicious mouth feasted on his flesh. Soubi licked him and kissed him and stroked him until he was shuddering and drowning in it, his moans echoing, his hands mussing Soubi's long hair, and hips bucking up towards his Fighter.

"Soubi…Soubi, I love you."

"Mmm." Soubi's hands slid down Ritsuka's belly to unzip his pants, and stripped Ritsuka of them. Then suddenly those gentle hands were sliding under Ritsuka's bottom and up over the back of his thighs. They next moved inward, slowly prying Ritsuka's legs apart. Now his knees were on the bed by his waist, feet in the air and his bottom and his tail by Soubi's head. He was curled inward and upward.

"I love you, too," Soubi said, smiling at Ritsuka in his pleasure state, purple eyes half-closed and a constant purr rumbling from him. Ritsuka gasped as those cold fingers (his body was so hot all of a sudden) nudged his tail aside. Then Soubi's face was nuzzled against his abdomen, and that tongue slid down Ritsuka's heated length.

"Nnuahh…So-Sou-! Soubi!"

Soubi's hands made quick work of the last item of clothing. Ritsuka squeaked as Soubi's mouth moved down his thighs and then his tongue pressed against Ritsuka's entrance, that place which had felt so sensitive before. It was the place Ritsuka's fingers had discovered, and when he had pushed them there experimentally, it felt amazing.

The sensation of Soubi's tongue slowly licking there had Ritsuka pushing down, wanting more of it. His tail was still and his eyes were shut tight. "M-more, Soubi!"

The Fighter was ever obedient. At first it felt strange to have that warm wetness _inside_ of him. First Soubi pressed softly with his tongue, then harder. Ritsuka listened to the squeaking of the bed and he could taste on his tongue a tanginess, like the need and the lust electrifying his every limb. His breath and his heart were loud in his ears.

When that tongue pressed at one particular spot, Ritsuka cried out. As that spot was thoroughly sucked and caressed he felt himself sinking into some sort of glory land, with sparks beneath his eyelids and through his body and making his cock throb and ache.

Abruptly the sensation stopped, and Ritsuka opened his eyes to see Soubi hovering above him again. Before he could open his mouth to ask a question he felt Soubi's fingers replace his tongue at the entrance. And the harder they pressed, the more Ritsuka groaned and felt himself drowning in bliss, and the more sure he was that he wanted and needed to have it be Soubi who would take his ears.

To his relief, Soubi felt the same way. His fingers slid out of Ritsuka, and the man licked each one. Ritsuka knew Soubi was being a tease on purpose and could see how hard he was. He stared as each finger was sucked in and licked all over by Soubi's tongue, and his cock twitched eagerly in response.

"Soubi," Ritsuka said sharply. He moved his legs back down and clenched his thighs inward on purpose. Soubi's length rubbed against his as a result, making both moan. Ritsuka looked straight into Soubi's eyes and saw the question in those eyes, a question that was not existent for Ritsuka. Yes, they should do this. Yes, this was how it must be. The answer was Soubi's cock gliding over Ritsuka's thigh, wet and hot and hard. He let it be like that, however agonizing every second was. Soubi's cock was beautiful and Ritsuka liked having it pressing against him. It almost made him want to put his mouth over it again.

In response to this question in Soubi's eyes, Ritsuka nodded. He spread his legs open, and adjusted Soubi's hips to be over his, and Soubi's knees to be on either side of his waist. And then he could feel Soubi's cock poised at his entrance, and it made him breathless. His breath got faster and he felt suddenly nervous. It was going to hurt, wasn't it?

He forgot about anticipating pain as Soubi's fingertips touched his cock in a whisper touch, and he supposed that was the technique for distraction, for as soon as he had forgotten about the pain Soubi was sinking his cock down inside Ritsuka, and it did hurt. Oh!

It was glorious to have Soubi's body over his. That calm voice whispered soothing words of love to Ritsuka as Soubi's cock slid slowly in and out. Abruptly those hands moved from his cock and were pressed against his hips, grounding him. Ritsuka opened his eyes and watched Soubi. The man was beautiful. He panted as, slowly, he increased the tempo of the thrusts, Ritsuka brushed hair from Soubi's sweaty forehead, and stared up into those glittering blue eyes. They were the eyes of his beloved, the one he would always love. He was loved, and could love. As Soubi had said – his name Loveless meant they gave no mercy to their enemies.

Soubi's warm hands were pushing his thighs up, making his knees touch the mattress again, and Ritsuka took this as an invitation. He wrapped his legs around Soubi again, crossing his ankles behind Soubi's back.

The pain receded and opened the gateway to pleasure. Ritsuka hugged his legs tighter to Soubi, and this made Soubi able to thrust harder, so hard that Ritsuka was pressed down into the bed. He had his arms around his Fighter's torso and realized that the loud shouts and moans were theirs, that he was repeating Soubi's name in a chant.

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_Next: the last chapter! Please tell me what you think._


	6. Chapter 6

_I love you guys! You are awesome! Thanks so much for the views and reviews! 3 3 3 Here is the last chapter. It is...startlingly short, but I hope you all enjoy it. =)_

**SHADOWS**

_CHAPTER 6_

_LAST CHAPTER_

_XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOX_

Soubi's POV

The boy's thighs were slick against Soubi's. That voice drove Soubi onward, "_faster, Soubi_," "_more,_" "_harder, Soubi_." And when Soubi moved faster, harder, the boy's cries were music to Soubi's ears. As Soubi pounded harder into the boy he felt Ritsuka's legs tighten around him. Ritsuka's hands were on him, arms around him, and then the boy brought his head up for a kiss and the kiss was vicious, biting and bleeding but Soubi liked it. He liked that Ritsuka had marked him, had given him a cut on his lip that he could look at for the next few days and smile about.

Ritsuka's body was perfection. If his sounds were sweet, his body was even sweeter. It wasn't even the soft touches, and nibbling kisses to Soubi's neck, or the legs tightening against his back and urging him on. It wasn't even being able to slide his hands down and cup Ritsuka's bottom that he was thrusting so hard into, or the boy's bouncing slick cock beneath Soubi's caressing fingers. It wasn't even the way Ritsuka's teeth clamped onto his shoulder and bit down when he hit the prostate.

It was the way his and Ritsuka's body seemed to meld together, that was ultimate sweetness. It was the passion with which Ritsuka held him with every part of his young body that sent Soubi into heavenly throes. It was the way Ritsuka's bottom was full and squeezable and soft beneath Soubi's touches that addicted Soubi. It was how soft and slick and tight Ritsuka's body was as it held Soubi's cock, that made the Fighter breathless. It was how Ritsuka's face contorted in pleasure as Soubi finally took his ears, that made Soubi tear up a little.

Mostly, it was the way in which Ritsuka cried out his name and gasped, "_I love you_," that was the ultimate sweetness. He said it like only Ritsuka and Soubi existed, and it was perfection. The meanings behind the words were many: that Ritsuka would give himself to Soubi and let Soubi give himself in return, forever and forever. That Ritsuka had finally realized that no one could love him as much as Soubi did.

Soubi pushed harder into Ritsuka, deeper. The boy let out a long, growling sort of purr that made shivers dance up Soubi's arms. As his cock drove against that special spot again and again, that was the moment in which Ritsuka's teeth clamped onto his shoulder. And as he drove harder, Ritsuka's moans meant he liked it. But what had Soubi barely holding on was how if Soubi struck deep, Ritsuka would bite him. He bit at Soubi's chest, at Soubi's nipples. He never seemed to tire, only having more energy. Ah, such was the gift of youth.

Ritsuka's panting breath came louder in Soubi's ears as the boy sat up. Soubi moaned as those hands slid down his back down to his bottom, squeezing. The boy pulled himself up to sit and now their bodies were so close. They were chest to chest, and Ritsuka's hips were thrusting in response to Soubi's. Having those little hands on his buttocks, pressing against him, enabled Soubi to angle deeper.

He moved slower, softer. The result was Ritsuka clenching even more tightly around his cock. The sweet lavender smell had a sharpness to it now, salty. The boy whimpered, a longing sound, as Soubi's body slowly sunk towards him again and again. That mewling sound had Soubi losing his mind. He wanted to hear it over and over; he couldn't get enough of it. The touch of Ritsuka's thighs against his was intoxicating, and combined with the boy's state of arousal and that unmatched scent he was surprised he hadn't come yet.

"Ritsuka," Soubi whispered. His Sacrifice growled low and sensual as Soubi's tongue flicked out and touched the boy's ear. Each time he heard that growl he pressed harder against Ritsuka. It was exquisite to have that body against his, and that growl made him want it, want it bad.

"Rit…su…kaa…unhh….mmm. You…are delicious."

Ritsuka giggled at this. "Delicious? Oh! S-Soubi….what do I taste like?" His hands were scrabbling at the sheets now, delicate and soft, gripping the sheets tightly as Soubi slid in again, and ripples of pleasure consumed them both.

Soubi laughed low and soft. This laugh was only for Ritsuka, and Kio had once accused him of being able to seduce people with just the laugh alone. Soubi wondered if it was true, and maybe it was, judging from how Ritsuka nuzzled further into Soubi's embrace.

"You taste like…strawberries, Ritsuka, or something else juicy, sweet, and enticing. Something that I've wanted for so long, and now that I can taste it and suck it and have it, I've realized my suffering in its absence. And I realize how much I need and want…you. Like a drug. Like an explosion."

And he moved a little faster now, increasing the pace. The boy's breath was ragged, and his hands grabbed at Soubi's wrists suddenly. "Ohhh…Soouu..bii. I, I think…i-it sounds…like your painting. You've found the point of light. Soubi! F-faster."

They were rising up together, rising up to the point of light, to the explosion, to a culmination of so much goodness and sweetness and ripeness. The hanging fruit had split open, Ritsuka was open, was light and sumptuous and no more a torment or tormented, but complete. Complete with Soubi, under Soubi, awash in ecstasy with Soubi.

Crying out the name of his Sacrifice, his lover – _my true Beloved_, Soubi thought – Soubi came, overwhelmed by pleasure. And with a soft sighing cry, Ritsuka found his peak as well.

The two lay on the bed afterward, a tangle of bodies. There was no ending. There was no spot that was Ritsuka or Soubi. It was all the same. It was all part of a bonding and a combination that neither would allow to break.

Soubi had thought that maybe, just maybe, Ritsuka was broken. Maybe the shadows would overtake him some day. Soubi doubted still that Ritsuka had quite outrun the shadows' reach.

But when he turned over the next morning, the first thing he saw was sunlight. It washed the room in a happy, benevolent glow. And the second thing he saw was Ritsuka, _his_ Ritsuka, with the sun rays enwrapping his body in so much light.

_Light_, Soubi thought. _It is the opposite of shadows. He has climbed out of the pit of shadows. He has found the sun, the light. The happiness that he couldn't quite grasp before – he has finally found it._

After such a discovery, there could only be contentedness.

_~THE END._


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